How much of this "tragedy" can be apportioned between the "politicians" and the "civil" servants who, ostensibly, are there to guide and advise? Let's take a closer look at these so-called "impartial" servants of the State. Keeping it apolitical, look back a little while at some of the disastrous decisions reached and promulgated.
BY is quite correct that most government policy (not only MOD) is now made by a cosy cabal of civil servants and industrialists who lobby them (and provide them with jobs when they leave). The aim of this lobbying is to pass money to the businessmen, setting up grandiose projects which provide little practical outcome, but which provide a continuous steady stream of profit for the companies involved.
You will find this occurs most often in the military, computing and health areas - these are the places where big money can easily be spent. And the beauty of it all is that the civil servants are anonymous, and if anything catastrophic happens (that is, is publicised,) the politicians carry the can. A classic example was the Identity Card proposal - it was in no manifesto, no politician wanted it, it was a money waster with no votes in, yet the Home Office fought for it tooth and nail...
The Civil Service should be investigated far more often by the papers. Alas, the papers are no longer capable of investigating anything - they get their news from the bolgs...